Please Give a Big TOP 2 BOTTOM Welcome to the Fabulous POPPY DENNISON!!

Thank you, Poppy, for taking some down time and spending it with us. Let’s start this off with a beverage. We have coffee, tea, some sort of juice (I think it’s been in here a few weeks) and soda. What would you like?
Well, as I’m in England at the moment, I think a nice cuppa would be nice.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Sure! Let’s see, my name is Poppy Dennison and I’m a sassy Southern lady. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee, but make it a mission to travel as much as I can. I’m a wee bit obsessed with paranormal romance and love to read shifters as much as I like to write them.

When you received news that your manuscript had been accepted what were the first words that fell from your mouth?
Does a wailing sob count? Cause I burst into tears the first time. After that, I mostly say something along the lines of “Oh Thank God!” You can never be sure a book is going to be contracted so it’s nerve-wracking every single time!

What forces brought you over to the MM Genre and what made you want to write it?
I started by reading and writing fanfiction in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom. That transitioned into reading published M/M novels, and then I started writing.

Would you care for some cookies? We have chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal with or without raisins and a package of mystery ones. We have cake too. Your choice.
I think a nice slice of cake would go nicely with my tea. Thank you!

How many hours a day do you spending writing?
Generally around four. I write full time, so I divide my time between writing, editing, and the other junk that comes with being a writer.

Do you write right through or do you revise as you go along?
I tend to write right through. I might go back and tweak a little, but not very much. I prefer to look at the manuscript as a whole. My first drafts are U-G-L-Y and need a lot of work.

When it comes to plotting, do you write freely or plan everything in advance?

A mixture of the two. I plan most things out, but there’s always some surprises in there as you go. I think the more you write a character, the more you get to know them. Their reactions are more real to me if I write with my gut when I get to a scene instead of always depending on an outline.

Of your characters do you have a favorite and why?
Not really? It’s hard to pick a favorite. I love the entire pack in my Pack Partners series, so I’d pick them as a group. I love the dynamics of that group and how they interact with each other.

Writers often go on about writer’s block. Do you ever suffer from it, and what measures do you take to get past it?
I write. I know, I know. But the only way to get through it is to keep going. I like to write something that will never be in the book if I get really stuck. Some random scene from a character’s childhood that explains why they are the way they are at the time of the book.

Do you have a particular spot in your house that you call your comfy zone? (The place where you write.)

Usually at my desk. I’m pretty set in my routine, actually. Coffee cup to my right, notepad to my left (I’m a leftie). Then I just roll with it.

When you’re in the mindset to write, do you put a sign up that warns others not to disturb you while at work?
Nope. I tend to multi-task at all times. If I’m really into a scene, I might turn chat off for a few hours, but I don’t have to do that often.

How would you describe your sense of humor? Who and what makes you laugh?
Silly things like stupid jokes. Saw one yesterday that had me gigglesnorting. How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh? Tentacles. See? Silly. I cracked up.

What is the most frequently asked Poppy question?
Most people want to know why I write paranormal! And the answer is that I’m just fascinated by it. By the extras the characters have in their ability to shift (or whatever their ability may be) and how their instincts and ability to love is affected. I can’t get enough!

What are you working on now?
I’m working on two projects at the moment. First is a new contemporary series that I’m co-writing with the amazing M.J. O’Shea. It’s called Coconut Cove and will be released from Wilde City Press in August 2014. I’m also working on the next book in the Pack Partners series.

Writing is obviously not just how you make your living, but your life-style as well. What do you do to keep the creative “spark” alive – both in your work and out of it?
I read. Constantly. Both in my genre and out of it. Anything that catches my fancy, really. I normally have multiple books going at once, and most of them aren’t fiction. I love to learn, and I’m able to use those random little tidbits to make my characters more interesting.

What kind of books do you like to read outside of the MM Genre?
Anything, really. I don’t read a lot of romance outside of MM, but I love to read books on mythology, or cookbooks, or history, or…well, anything. I’m random like that.

It was a pleasure having you here with us today. Please come by and let us know how you’re doing from time to time. OH! And before you leave, can I get your help here in the kitchen? Thanks!!
No problem! Um, as long as you just want help cleaning up. Trust me, you don’t want me to cook anything… that would be bad.

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